OG Mr India and former tennis player debuted with Karisma Kapoor, later left Bollywood; where's Bikram Saluja now?
Here's the latest update from the Bollywood world:
Several models have transitioned to acting, but only a few have managed to gain recognition and make a place for themselves in the highly competitive industry. From junior Wimbledon to mainstream music videos, model and star Bikram Saluja had one of the most unexpected entries into Indian entertainment. Yet, despite making a major Bollywood debut opposite Karisma Kapoor , he eventually stepped away from acting.
Adding to this, Bikram Saluja debuted in Bollywood alongside Karisma Kapoor. Bikram Saluja's journey to Bollywood Born and brought up in Indore, Bikram Saluja was an elite athlete long before entering showbiz. At the age of eight, he chanced upon tennis at a local club and dreamt of competing on the professional tennis circuit. By the age of 18, in 1992, he was ranked among the top 50 junior tennis players globally and played at both junior Wimbledon and the junior US Open. However, when he moved into the men's section, things did not go as planned, and he realised that tennis was not working out for him.
Meanwhile, View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bikram Saluja (@bikramsaluja1)
Notably, After stepping back from professional tennis, Bikram entered modelling and won the inaugural Grasim Mr India title in 1994. He represented India internationally at the 1996 Mr World competition in Istanbul, finishing in the Top 10. During the late 1990s, Saluja became a prominent face in Indian pop music videos, appearing in Asha Bhosle's iconic Parde Mein Rehne Do and Bali Brahmbhatt's Tere Bin Jeena Nahin. He also featured in several theatre plays, including Karma Bhoomi, Teen Ikke, Kiski Biwi Kiska Shauhar and more.
As per the latest buzz, Bikram made his high-profile feature movie debut in Khalid Mohammed's critically acclaimed Fiza (2000), playing the romantic partner of Karisma Kapoor's titular character. His performance in the movie impressed critics and collected him recognition. He went on to feature in prominent ensemble projects including LOC: Kargil, Plan, Page 3 and Just Married.
In further updates, View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bikram Saluja (@bikramsaluja1)
On top of that, In a chat with the Main Character Energy podcast, Bikram opened up that he continued approaching directors and producers for work even after Fiza. However, he eventually stepped away from acting when he stopped receiving the kind of substantial roles he was looking for. He realised that “it's a different ball game altogether” and decided he did not want to waste his time pursuing it.
In 2004, he married Schauna Chauhan, the CEO of Parle Agro. However, during his journey of directing documentaries, his personal life also underwent changes. The star and Schauna eventually separated, and they have a 12-year-old son who lives with his ex-wife.
Source: Hindustan Times